Protecting Michigan s VanishingNative Lakeshore

What is lost with the wild shore?

Excessive use of lawn fertilizers canstimulate growth of nuisanceaquatic plants such as filamentous

algae

In addition to accelerating the movement ofpollut­ants off the land, the suburban lawn introduces new sourcesof lawn maintenance fertilizers and pesticides. Excessiveuse of fertilizers can

stimulate growth ofnui­sance aquatic plants,including filamentousand blue- green algae.

surface runoff and carry pollutants to the lake. On thesuburban lawn, tree cover is often greatly

reduced. The undergrowth might becompletely removed and the leaf

covered forest floor replacedwith flat lawn. Under these

conditions, very little wateris intercepted or soaks intothe ground. Most of it flowsoverland and picks up pol­

lutants such as fertilizers,pesticides, sediments, oil,

grease and pet waste. These pol­lutants are carried with the water

. and deposited in the lake.

Using the native shoreline to protect the landand water

When developing a lakefront lot, the lawn and build­ings may be blended into an artistic natural setting ratherthan replacing the wild lakeshore with turf, rocks and steel.Through proper landscape design, it is possible to create aunique lakefront home instead of a typical subdivisionhouse and yard. In addition to creating a unique lot, the

Another pollutionproblem associated witha suburban lawn is soilerosion. When a lawn is

planted to the water'sedge, the shallow grassroots are not able towithstand the forces ofwaves and ice. Over

time, the lawn and landare eroded away andwashed into the lake. The homeowner may resort to rocksand/or a seawall to stop the erosion and loss ofland. Thishard armoring of the beach further diminishes the nativeshore and wildlife habitat.

The shoreline is a transition zone where aquatic spe­cies such as frogs, turtles and fish merge with land speciessuch as minks, raccoons and blue herons. The wildlakeshore is one of the most biologically diverse, plant andanimal rich environments on earth. As the environment

transitions from water to land, it creates conditions for dif­ferent plants to grow, offering a variety of habitats formany animals. The suburban lawn, however, is one of the

least biologi­cally diverseenvironments.Shoreline wild­life and birds

generally can­not live or re­

produce on thesuburban lawn.

They move outor are pushed tolocal extinction

when develop­ment destroystheir habitat.

Impacts of the "suburban lawn" on a lake

A native lakeshore is like a giant living sponge and fil­ter. Nearly all the water that falls as rain is intercepted bythe leaves and branches of the vegetation or soaks into therich soils. Very little water is left to run across the land as

Shoreline development along lakes often resultsin the "cleaning up" of the lot andalteration of the native

vegetation. Trees are cut andpruned while dead trees andfallen limbs are chain sawedand burned. The forest

undergrowth is oftenremoved and replaced with alawn. Herbicides aresometimes used to eliminate

the shoreline plants. The wildnative shoreline is replaced witha highly ordered "suburban lawn"setting. As a result, many lakes todayhave little or none of their original nativeshoreline remaining.

Development along the lakeshore replaces thewild native environment with a highly ordered

"suburban lawn" setting

MSU is an affirmative action-equal opportunity institution

More in­formationabout nativelakeshore

management

is available in Islands of low growing shrubs andflowers canthe book maintain the lake view

Lakescapingfor Wildlife and Water Quality, written by C. Henderson, C.Dindorf and F. Rozumalski and published by the NongameWildlife Program, Minnesota Department of Natural Re­sources. It is available through the MSU Extension BulletinOffice, Agriculture Hall, Michigan State University, EastLansing, MI 48824; 517-353-6740 or order online at:web2.msue.msu.edulbulletins/mainsearch.cfrn. Request in­ventory number WQ 57.

Creative use of the lawn and native plants in artisticallydesigned assemblages can prevent erosion, restore wild na­tive habitatand associatedwildlife and

protect thelake from sur­face runoff.

Written by Howard Wandell, Department of Fisheries andWildlife, Lois Wolfson, Institute of Water Research and JaneHerbert, Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan StateUniversity; Photographs by Bill Bartodzieji and HowardWandell. Financial support was provided by the WaterQuality Area of Expertise Team.

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• The buffer zone should extend 25 to 50 feet out into the

water and up onto the land. It should occupy 60 to 80percent of the lot's lake frontage

• The buffer zone can be divided into three planting areas:1) aquatic plants which grow below the water surface; 2)moist-soil plants, such as cattail, bulrush, arrowhead andpickerelweed, growing in the wave-washed area; and 3)dry-soil plants, such as native grasses, wild flowers,shrubs and trees growing up slope from the waters edge

• Plants used in the buffer zone should be native plants thathistorically grew along the lakeshore in the local area.Native plants will be easier to establish, grow moreluxuriously and require less maintenance. They alsoprovide the structure, habitat and seed crop that localanimals utilize in feeding, nesting and resting

• The lawn should be kept back from the lake's edge butmay meander among the plantings as a pathway from theyard to the swimming and boating area

When a lawn is planted to the water :sedge,the lawn and land are slowly eroded away andwashed into the lake

natural shore­line will mini­

mize pollution,protect theshoreline fromerosion and

provide a homefor the wildlifethat live at the

water's edge.

• Avoid retaining walls; instead use long-rooted nativeplants and shrubs or rock rip-rap to control erosion.Always line rock with geotextile fabric.

When con- ..tru t· Use of the WIld natIve shore can create aS cmga .... umque lakefront home

dlstmctlve wa-terfront home

consider the following:

• Remove only those trees necessary to build and protectthe house and open a view to the lake

• Keep the lawn away from the lake. Use plants that needlittle watering or fertilization

• Maintain brush cover on steep sloping lands

• Allow a buffer zone of native vegetation along thelakeshore

• Keep boating and swimming areas as small as possibleto maintain the native shoreline

Restoring the native shoreline

If a lakefront home already has a suburban lawn to theedge of the lake, the wildlife habitat will be minimal and an

erosion prob­lemmayal­ready bepresent. The na­tive shorelinecan be reestab­

lished by plant­ing a lakeshorebuffer zone.

This zone mightconsist of low

growing shrubsand flowers,with taller trees

along the lotsides. This

combination of plantings maintains the view of the lake andscreens other lot development from view.

When constructing the buffer zone and designing theplantings, the following guidelines should be considered: